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For me I think the difference between talk and speak is one is interactive and the other is not. Maybe that's the reason that talk sounds odd passively. I would change one thing though "A foreigner talked with me." for some reason "to" seems odd to me in that context.

I don't think it's a difference between "talk" and "speak", but just the fact that "talked to" is not normal. I'd say it's not normal because it puts emphasis on the fact that you yourself did no talking. "Spoken to", on the other hand, is typically used not for conversations, but for instances of being scolded by an authority figure (e.g. "I was spoken to by my boss about getting angry with customers").

Regarding "played by", I'd say the reason it isn't normally used is because it suggests that who you're mentioning is the only person who plays it. That's also why e.g. "Han Solo is played by Harrison Ford" (referring to actors) is common.

Donor

I'm not sure about the difference between "talk to" and "speak to".
What's the difference between (g) and (h)?
(g) I talked to Mike at the party yesterday evening.
(h) I spoke to Mike at the party yesterday evening.

Would only "spoke" sound right in (i)?
(i) Though I talked/spoke to Paul at the party, he didn't notice it.

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JREF is a travel, language and study guide on all things Japanese, with a growing travel section, a discussion forum, a section on Japanese language, a Japan photo gallery, a comprehensive directory started in 1999.